Any day we get to work with Paul is a good day. He is the kind of nurse we should all aspire to because of his empathy, compassion, and attention to detail. He works hard and has such a positive energy on our unit. He treats all the patient's like they are his own family without any judgement; a bedside manner that cannot be taught. It's a true gift unique to Paul.

I could list many stories of Paul and how great he handles sad and uncertain situations but one in particular stands out. Any time of year is sad when you lose a loved one but especially during the holidays does it become harder. Paul took care of a patient who had an elective spine surgery. The surgery went great, and the patient felt great until it took a very quick and unfortunate turn for the worse. We all know how quickly medicine and lives can change, and it's how we adapt to it that can make all the difference. This patient's clinical status changed in the blink of an eye, and he became very sick. The patient was in multi-organ failure requiring many interventions that required a skilled and detail-oriented person like Paul. Paul spent 95% of shifts in that room titrating pressors, running CRRT, and providing the therapeutic touch that patient needed even though he was on a ventilator. One can only imagine the shock to his wife and family, a rather large family, that this was happening given he was doing so well post op. Paul stepped right in and offered emotional support to help ease some of the shock. He provided real-time and honest updates to the family even when it wasn't good news. The way you deliver bad news has to come from a place of sincerity, openness, and willingness to step into their shoes. To grieve with them. Paul did just that with such grace.

I walked by Paul as he was telling family their options regarding end of life. He explained comfort care and how the patient was not improving. In fact, he was actively dying. After the family transitioned to comfort care at shift change and Paul could have left to go home yet he stayed to honor the family. He provided the family with a poem called "Look for me in the rainbows," with a fingerprint of the patient on it. Furthermore, he printed a rhythm strip from the patient and placed in a small keepsake jar for each of them. He stayed well past his shift to offer his condolences at such a sad time. The family praised him, even saying, "Paul is a very special person." At the worst time of their lives, they found a positive, and it was within Paul.

Paul deserves not just one DAISY but a whole flower garden. I'm honored and lucky to work alongside him.